On The Shelves: 1/4/07

Reading is fundamental. Don't waste your time reading bad comics out of habit!

Hello, 2007! 2006 was a great year for comics of all types (be sure to check out my Best of picks) and I'm betting this year is going to be even better all-around. Hopefully Ed Brubaker's crystal ball is in working order:

What will be the biggest story in comics in 2007? The rebirth of major interest in creator-owned non-universe spanning comics in the American Market. Yeah, after two years of crossovers and events, readers decide they just want to read the ones they like, and miss the days of Preacher and Sandman and Transmet... which leads to a surge in sales for non-superhero stuff. At least, that's what I hope is the big story.

From your lips to retailers' ears, Ed!

Here's my weekly look at select comic books being released Thursday, 1/4/07. The full shipping list, as always, is available at ComicList.

[NOTE: Not all of these titles will actually arrive in all stores. If your LCBS offers a pre-ordering service, be sure to take advantage of it. If not, find another one; or try Khepri.com or MidtownComics.com]

PICK OF THE WEEK


Artesia, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 HC

ARCHAIA STUDIOS PRESS
Artesia Vol 1 HC, $24.95
Artesia Vol 2 Artesia Afield HC, $24.95

Now this is how you kick off the new year, with two hardcover volumes of one of the best fantasy series ever. Ever! Artesia is the crown jewel of Archaia's impressive lineup, and I will be adding both of these to my bookshelf and giving away my TPBs in our upcoming post-Holiday Comics Giveaway. (Stay tuned. Seriously this time.)

BLUE DREAM STUDIOS
Dreamland Chronicles Vol 1 TPB, $19.95
Eds Terrestrials HC New Ptg, $19.99

ADVANCE REVIEW: Actually, I'm going to review both of these within the next week or so, but I've already read Ed's Terrestrials and loved it. It's like Fairly Oddparents with aliens, and no fairies. I'll explain that later, but suffice to say it's a fun all-ages read and a worthy addition to one's bookshelf. Buy it!

DC COMICS
Jonah Hex #15, $2.99
Superman Confidential #3, $2.99

Jonah Hex's sales aren't so hot, but if you compare it to anything from Vertigo or Wildstorm, it has to be considered a qualified success. Hopefully that's how DC views it, at least, because it's one of the few ongoing titles of theirs left on my pull list and I'd hate to see it get canceled. *** It's no secret that I'm no fan of Superman, but I was pleasantly surprised by the first two issues of Superman: Confidential, which I borrowed from Dan and enjoyed enough to keep reading. His copies, of course, but Superman fans should definitely have this one on their pull lists.

INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER GROUP
Opening Lines Pinky Probes & L Bombs TPB, $14.95

ADVANCE REVIEW: Another one I'll be reviewing very soon as I'm still reading it, but halfway through, it's an entertaining bit of male stereotyping as the Girls & Sports comic strip eschews the standard collection and presents itself instead as a humorous Men's Guide to Dating. A little bit Maxim, a little bit Cosmo, a lot of tongue in cheek.

MARVEL COMICS
Incredible Hulk #102, $2.99
Powers #22, $2.95
Spider-Man And Power Pack #3 (Of 4), $2.99

I'm falling into a bit of a rut with the House of Ideas lately. I like what I'm reading (or, in Powers' case, what I'm expecting to read when I get caught up) but thanks to the shadow of Civil War looming over everything, I'm not terribly excited about any of it. Incredible Hulk, in particular, is cooling off for me as I am not looking forward to his return to Earth and the beginning of the "World War Hulk" crossover.

ONE ROOM HUT
Kanas Island #1, $3.50

Rich Watson profiled Kana a while back and I was intrigued by it. Glad to see it finally hitting the shelves.

PAIZO PUBLISHING, LLC
Order Of The Stick Vol 2 No Cure For The Paladin Blues TPB, $29.95

I borrowed Volume One (Dungeon Crawlin' Fools) from my niece, in trade for A Bit Haywire, but haven't gotten around to reading it yet. You just can't go wrong with D&D playing stick figures, though.